Automatic locking means for vehicle doors



Jan. 22, 1957 G. ULRICH 2,778,216

AUTOMATIC LOCKING MEANS FOR VEHICLE DOORS Filed March 8, 1954 INVENTOR" A rrfs.

United States Patent O 2,778,216 AUTOMATIC LOCKING MEANS FOR VEHICLE DOORS Georges Ulrich, Marseille, France Application March 8, 1954, Serial No. 414,668 2 Claims. (Cl. 70-264) The locking of doors, is generally etfected by locking each catch.

As a result, most of the time the user forgets to open the doors or again not knowing the direction for clos ing performs the manipulation in the inverse direction thereby leaving his car open. The manipulations to be effected are moreover lengthy and inconvenient.

The object of the invention is to provide a locking system having a locking device for each of the doors, lockers and hood of a vehicle and by means of which all the locking devices may be locked and unlocked with a single control, the latter being preferably disposed on a door provided with the usual lock operable by a key.

It is characterized by the means used taken both together and separately and more particularly by an electric contact serving for energizing an electromagnet, the movable core of which is coupled to the locking memher.

In the accompanying limiting example of a vention:

Figure 1 shows in elevation the control member; Fig. 2 shows schematically the locking of the catches of each door or the like.

The handle 1 of a door (not shown), for actuating the usual catch comprises in its axis a locking member 2 mounted on the rod 3 receiving the key 4. Although in this description with reference to the drawings the invention is shown with the locking control associated with the usual door lock, it need not necessarily be so and the normal door lock and the door locking system of the present invention may be made completely independent, so far as the operation of the locking control is concerned.

This rod is provided at its rear part with an insulated eccentric cam 5 the shape of which, by rotation about the axis X, Y, brings together at a predetermined point the flexible leaves 6, 7 mounted on an insulating block 8 and comprising contacts 9, 10. Leaf 6 is coupled to lockers, or hoods of vehicles means of individual members drawings, given by way of nonform of construction of the inthe electric circuit coming from the battery, the leaf 7 being coupled to the locking member of the vehicle.

The rod 3 is provided with a member 2 for locking the catch on which it is mounted.

The wire 12 feeds an electromagnet 13, Fig. 2, the movable core 14 of which is coupled by an articulated arm 15 to a return spring 16 and to a control cam 17, fast to a ratchet 18 driving a locking member 19 (Maltese Cross) which alternately locks and unlocks a catch of any suitable kind. This same member 19 is likewise controlled by hand by any suitable handle or appropriate pusher members.

The advantages and operation of the invention will be apparent.

The user, on coming out of his vehicle, introduces his key 4 into the catch and makes the usual half turn of the rod 3. By this simple movement, the catch is locked by means of the device 2 at the same time as the cam 5 7 for several seconds and then recloses the contacts 6, leases them.

This brief contact sufiices to pass a current through the wire 13 and excite the core 14 of the electromagnet 13. The core is drawn in the direction of the arrow A. This movement transmits, through the arm 15, a rapid movement to the cam 17, arrow B, which by means of the ratchet wheel drives by one notch the locking member 19, arrow C, immobilising the catch. The cam 17 and the core 14 are recalled into their normal position by the effect of the spring 16. During this movement according to the arrow D, the ratchet 18 does not drive the locking member 19 and operates as a free wheel. A spring stabilises the locking member in the desired position.

After the opening of the catch 1, the rod'3 drives in the reverse direction, Fig. l, the cam 5 which again closes the leaf contacts 6, 7. The current again excites the electromagnet and the same movement is carried out. The locking member 19 takes up a position unlocking the catch by one-eighth of a turn which alternately places a cut-out portion 20 or a spoke 21 on the part immobilising the catch. This member 19 can be controlled by hand.

It is thus possible without any risk of non-operation and without any supplementary movement to lock the whole of the catches of a vehicle with a single control.

The simplicity of the various elements as well as their mechanical strength permits to obtain the best results.

It goes without saying that the shapes, dimensions, and dispositions of the various elements could be varied as well as the materials utilised for their construction without thereby changing the general conception of the invention which has just been described.

I claim:

1. A locking system for the doors, hood and other openable structural elements of a motor vehicle comprising a latch for each such element, a rotary stop member mounted adjacent each latch and having alternate radial lug portions and spaces such that rotation of said stop member brings lugs and spaces alternately into alignment with the latch respectively to prevent and allow movement thereof into unlatched position, a rotatable operating arm mounted concentrically adjacent each stop member and spring-loaded in one direction, ratchet means connecting each associated stop member and operating arm for step by step unidirectional drive of the stop member when the arm is angularly reciprocated, a solenoid mounted in fixed position adjacent each operating arm and having an axially slidable plunger coupled to the operating arm for moving the arm against the spring loading when the solenoid is energised, electrical wiring connecting the solenoid with the usual supply battery of the vehicle, and a switch in said wiring for completing and breaking the supply circuit to the solenoid.

2. A locking system for the doors, lockers, hood and other openable structural elements of a motor Vehicle comprising a latch for each such element, a rotary stop member mounted adjacent each latch and having alternate radial lug portions and spaces such that rotation of said stop member brings lugs and spaces alternately into alignment with the latch respectively to prevent thereof into unlatched position, a rotatable operating arm mounted concentrically adjacent each stop member and spring loaded in one direction, ratchet means connecting each associated stop member and operating arm for step by step unidirectional drive of the stop member when the arm is angularly reciprocated, a solenoid mounted in fixed position adjacent each operating arm and having an axially slidable plunger coupled to the operating arm for moving the arm against-the spring loading when the solenoid is energised, electrical wiring connecting the solenoid with the usual supply battery of the vehicle, a pair of normally separated contacts coupled in series in said circuit for completing and breaking the current supply to the solemold, a cylinder lock coupled to the latch of one of the structural elements, a key-rotatable shaft in said lock, and a cam mounted on said shaft and arranged to engage with the contacts and complete the circuit as the shaft is rotated.

7 References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Randall May 25, Legrand Feb. 11, Seufert Dec. 15, Roscoe Nov. 8, Beal Mar. 14, Shobel et al. June 13,

FOREIGN PATENTS Switzerland May 24, Germany May 28, 

